1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine tool having a rotatably mounted part and a rotary leadthrough connected thereto, through which a fluid can be delivered to the rotatably mounted part, the rotary leadthrough having an outlet from which leaking fluid emerges in the event of a leak in the rotary leadthrough.
2. Related Art
Machine tools of this kind are known from the related art.
The rotatably mounted part is, for example, a spindle to which cooling and rinsing fluid, which is used for internal cooling of the tools received in the spindle and for rinsing, is delivered via the rotary leadthrough. The rotary leadthroughs are as a rule configured so that they seal themselves when the fluid is delivered under pressure. As a rule, one nonrotatable and one rotatable tube part are provided for this purpose, a sliding ring being arranged on each tube part.
The two sliding rings rest against one another with their sealing surfaces and thus constitute a joint between the tube parts, at which they provide a seal for the fluid flowing through the tube parts. In this context, the nonrotatable tube part is arranged displaceably in the longitudinal direction and joined to a rubber sleeve on which the inflowing fluid exerts a pressure such that the sealing surfaces seal the joint despite their movement relative to one another.
The joint is surrounded by a leakage space which is otherwise sealed with respect to the machine tool but has an outlet from which the leaking fluid emerges. Said leaking fluid is sent from the outlet in undefined fashion into the machine, where it nevertheless can as a rule cause no damage.
This sealing of the leakage space is intended to prevent the leaking fluid from causing damage to the motors, bearings, etc. of the spindle, i.e. serves to increase the operating reliability of the machine tool equipped in this fashion. This is because if the spindle head in which the spindle is rotatably mounted were flooded with coolant or rinsing fluid, this would, for example, wash the grease out of the bearings, and their service life would thereby be reduced. In addition, said fluid could enter the motors and there result in short-circuits or cause corrosion.
To this extent, therefore, the use, known per se, of a rotary leadthrough ensures that the machine tool equipped in this fashion has high operating reliability.